Free printableMeasure partsTSP-ME-21
How to measure a scooter shock absorber and forks
Eye to eye, mount type and fork dimensions. Four numbers that let you order suspension without a model number.
Layout preview of page one. The PDF itself is typeset text, not an image.
Download — free, no email
3 pages. No account, no sign-up, no newsletter. Print it, copy it, hand it to somebody else.
TSP-ME-21 · version v1.0 · September 2026. Opens in your browser's PDF viewer, where you can print directly.
The problem it solves
Suspension is listed by machine model, which is no help when your model is not listed. What actually determines fitment is the eye-to-eye length and the mount type at each end — two things that take a minute to establish and that most listings do not quote.
Rear shocks are among the easier parts to buy for these machines, because the critical dimension is a single straight-line measurement between two hole centres. Get that and the mount type and you can order from anybody.
The catch is that the two ends are frequently different. One end is usually an eye — a hole through a bush — and the other may be an eye, a fork-shaped clevis, or a stud. A shock of exactly the right length with the wrong end fitting is no use, and that is the detail listings omit most often.
Forks are more involved but the same principle applies: tube diameter and length, plus how the axle and the yokes attach. Record them and you are not restricted to sellers who happen to list your badge.
The mistakes this sheet exists to prevent
- Measuring a shock while it is compressed on the machine. It has to be measured uncompressed.
- Measuring from the outer edges of the eyes rather than centre to centre.
- Ordering on length alone and getting a shock whose ends will not mount.
- Ignoring the bush inside diameter, which decides whether the mounting bolt fits.
- Replacing one shock of a pair, leaving the machine with mismatched damping.
Who it is for
- Anyone replacing a leaking or sagged shock
- Owners of a machine that bottoms out or wallows
- Anyone fitting suspension from a different machine
What is on it
- Eye-to-eye measurement done correctly, with the tolerance that is usually acceptable
- Mount types at each end and what to record
- Spring and fork dimensions
- An inspection list for what to look at while it is off
How to use it
- 01Take the shock off, or at least unload it, before measuring. A compressed shock reads short.
- 02Measure centre of hole to centre of hole, uncompressed.
- 03Record both end fittings separately — they are frequently different.
- 04Replace shocks in pairs where the machine has two.
Use it with the registry
Other sheets you may want
- Mystery part measurement sheetYou are holding a part. Nobody knows what it is called. This sheet records everything a supplier needs in order to find it for you.
- Wheel bearing size chart and reverse lookupMeasure bore, outside diameter and width, read the bearing number off the table. Works without knowing what the machine is.
- Used Chinese scooter inspection checklistWhat to check before handing over money, in the order you can check it, including the paperwork problems specific to these machines.
Free to print, copy, and share — including in forums, clubs and workshops. If you find a mistake on this sheet, tell us and it gets corrected. Quote TSP-ME-21 and the version so we know exactly which sheet you mean. All printables.